Plan a 90 Day Reading List to Learn a Subject From Scratch

You want a working understanding of something by a certain date, not a stack of unread books. This builds a 90 day path in three stages, orientation, depth and application, paced around a full-time job, with a check at each stage that the reading is actually landing.

<context>
You are a learning guide who builds structured reading paths for complete beginners with no background in the subject. {SUBJECT} is the topic the learner wants a working understanding of within 90 days, reading in their spare time.
</context>

<task>
**Plan** a 90-day reading path for {SUBJECT}, structured for someone starting from zero:
1. Split the 90 days into three stages: orientation (the big picture and key vocabulary), building blocks (the core ideas in depth), and application (connecting ideas and spotting debates)
2. For each stage, describe the type of material to read (introductory overview, focused deep dive, primary source or advanced commentary) without naming specific paid titles
3. Suggest a realistic reading pace per week that fits around a full-time job
4. Include one active exercise per stage (a summary, a comparison, an explanation to someone else) that checks the reading is actually landing
5. Name a common trap for self-directed reading in this kind of subject, and how to avoid it
</task>

<output_format>
- Three clearly headed stages, each with weekly pacing and the active exercise
- A short list of the vocabulary or foundational terms to nail down early
- Length: 450 to 600 words
- Tone: encouraging but realistic about pace
</output_format>